


Change in Schedule

by Demonic_Loneliness0000



Category: Moominvalley (Cartoon 2019), Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: Cussing, Decided i wanted to write a legitimate fanfic this round around, Little My is a gremlin, M/M, Will try to update every week or every other week, ooc? maybe, snufkin and moomin fucking P I N E
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2020-04-12 03:27:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19123633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demonic_Loneliness0000/pseuds/Demonic_Loneliness0000
Summary: This winter is just like all others, hibernate and wake up on the first day of springMoomin decided to tweak the schedule he and snufkin had set up for years





	1. The end of autumn

**Author's Note:**

> Warning! There will be some mild language this time around, both in my notes, and mainly because of Little My, let the middle aged woman say f u c k

Autumn was truly a time of anxiety and preparation. Around early december was when Moomin truly started to worry and try to cram in all the time he got with his friends as possible before hibernating! He knew that within the next few weeks, snufkin would be heading south for the next 4 months or so, so moomin was  _ especially _ cramming in all the time he had with snufkin!

 

When he had woken up in the morning, it was quite a bit earlier than usual, the sun wasn't even above the hills and mountains when the troll had sat up. Feet touching the ground, he rubbed at his eyes with a breath, yawning and he murmured to himself  “too..early”

 

Stumbling around the room to get himself stable, moomin moved towards the window , paws on the frame. Sure, he couldn't see the best at night, certainly not as well as snufkin, but he could make out a shadowed figure walking around the tent that wasn't too far away from the house. So snufkin was awake this early? Moomin really wondered if he woke up around this time usually. Certainly it wasn't for fishing, snufkin had told him before that the fish didn't bite that early. Or maybe he meant late in the night?

 

Realizing that he couldn't yell out to snufkin, due to his family still being asleep, moomin had made his way out of the window, climbing down the ladder still, a small smile on his face.

 

Snufkin on the other hand, could practically see moomin coming. All it took was the shifting of the window opening and the small thumps of the troll leading down the ladder for snufkin to call out to him 

“Hello moomin! You’re up early!” his voice echoing across the outside of the house and moomin slid down the pole of the house, running out to snufkin

 

“Snufkin! You must be quiet, Little my will have our heads if we wake her!” the troll whispered rather hurriedly.

“Fair..I’d  _ love _ to see her try though”  it was certainly the type of bet you’d see between siblings, and moomin had sighed “snufkin, no.” his tone dropped a little bit.

 

“Alright, alright. Riddle me this, why are you up so early? You usually wake too  _ late _ , not too early.”

Moomin had flushed in embarrassment at the comment about his lateness. Yes, suppose he did always wake a little later than he should’ve, especially for his adventures with snufkin in the first place!

“That..that doesn't matter!” he stumbles his words “I just didn't realize how early it was. Why are  _ you _ up this early?”

 

Snufkin was rather busy unwrapping his fishing line from being tangled as he answered “I always wake this early.”

 

“But you go to bed much later than I”

“And?”

Moomin frowned a little bit, and snufkin stared back at him “i usually wake up earlier, if that makes it better”

“It most certainly does not! Even Little My sleeps longer than you! I've never seen a little girl go to bed so late!”

 

Snufkin raised a brow at moomin calling little my ‘little’, but made no comment on it “Mymbles and Mumriks work differently, i guess.” he dismissed.

 

With another frown, moomin had sighed “maybe, but even so!”

 

With the discussion over snufkin’s sleeping habits ending, the mumrik sighed “Moomin, can’t you try and go back to bed? The sun won't be up for another hour and i must be at the river by sunrise. That's when the fishes here bite better,” he had looked over at the troll with almost tired eyes. “And i  _ must _ focus on untying to line.”

 

Moomin finally made a glance at the fishing line, of which was completely tangled around the pole, in almost an awkward tie, and moomin exhaled

“Fine, fine, i suppose I’ll try. Do you mind having breakfast with us this morning then?”

 

“We’ll see” was the answer the troll got as he turned around, and headed back to the house.

  
  


Over the next two hours, moomin waited around, scribbled writing to practice, doodled on the table, all just waiting for snufkin to come into the house or for anyone else to wake up

 

And it was calm and peaceful, right up until Little My crouched directly in front of him while he was practicing his scripting. “What are you doing?”

 

Moomin jumped, a shriek resonating throughout the walls as he moved the paper out of her sight at tip-top speed. “Little my! Why are you  _ awake _ ?”

“Better question is why are  _ you _ up?”

“I asked you first!”

“So?” Little my had peered over him, trying to stare at the paper that moomin kept trying to hide from her “Back off!”

“Why? It’s just  _ paper _ .” she mocked, before giving up once he had crumpled the page up, and she shook her head.

 

“Why are you up so early? You’re usually never awake before mama” Moomin rephrased his question to the little woman, who stared back at him before shrugging as she hopped off the table “Felt like it.”

“That’s not an answer”

“Yep.”

Moomin groaned out, exasperated with the little woman, who laughed at his groaning.

After a moment though, she did give a legitimate answer, crossing the room and hopping up to the couch “I don't like waking up when the food’s cold, moominmama always makes breakfast earlier than i like.”

Moomin nodded, deciding to not stray onto the subject. 

 

Not too long after Little My had given him quite the scare, Moominmama and Moominpapa had finally come down the stairs, moomin’s mother rather surprised to see the two awake and sitting on the couch.

“Good morning, dears” was her almost confused statement as she made her way down the stairs.

“Morning mama” was the return, almost in a creepy amount of unison.

 

“Snufkin might come with us for breakfast, can I go check on him?” Moomin questioned, standing up off of the couch as his mother got to cracking open eggs on a heated pan “of course” was the only go-ahead the troll needed to swing open the front door and run out, Little My following quickly behind him.

 

Hearing the quick footsteps of his friend and half-sister practically running towards the bridge and towards him, snufkin had swung his legs over the edge and got to his feet, before one of the two ended up accidentally pushing him into the flowing current

“Hello Moomin, Little My” he smiled lightly

“You'll be joining for breakfast, right? Moominmama is making eggs.” Little My sat down on top of the bridge edge, mainly so she felt taller.

Snufkin hadn't answered at first, and Little my continued on “You’ll come inside, i  _ know _ you will”

Well, there wasn't much to argue with, and arguing with Little My was useless in the first place, anyways.

 

“Yes, fine, i will, but let me put the pole away, would you?” snufkin rolled his eyes as he made his way back to the tent, followed by two ‘shadows’ as he set the pole down against the tent.

 

Almost instantly after, he was being shoved forwards a bit, stumbling over his feet a little , sputtering out ‘knock it off!’ quietly to whoever was behind him, and Little My ran forwards ahead of him to scramble inside, just to be first. Moomin sighed, not making any comments, but it was all too clear the two had the same thoughts over snufkin’s sister.

 

Once they actually got to the house, My was sitting at the table, eating scrambled eggs like her life absolutely depended on it. With a thump, Moomin sat down at the table, snufkin rather preferring to sit at the couch. No one else usually sat with him, so that made him feel more comfortable rather than sitting at a stuffy table with the moomin family.

 

After Little My had finished her food, she practically threw the dish in the sink, earning a small scolding from moominmama as she headed back out in the front yard, snufkin watching her from the window. She was rather known now to take his fishing pole and  hide it in inconspicuous places while laughing as snufkin and moomin looked for it. 

 

After finishing his food, snufkin had placed his half finished plate down, thanking moominmama before he headed out, going to make sure that little my wasn't fucking with his tent.

And god knows it, she had found a way to  _ invert _ the tent, flipping it all inside out and stood outside of it, laughing so hard it was just about bringing tears to her eyes

 

“How- How did you even manage  _ this _ ?” snufkin stumbled his words, rather confused as his sister cried back “ _ I don't even KNOW!”  _ before breaking back into laughter, harder than ever as moomin left the house again. “What happened,snufkin!?” he shouted out as he ran, snufkin merely gesturing at the inside out tent, and Little My absolutely losing her mind. 

“Ah.”

 

Snufkin made no moves to fix his tent, sitting down onto the ground as My wiped her eyes, breathing hard as she chuckled “oh lord, fix your face, snufkin, it’s not  _ that _ big a deal”

“My tent is  _ inside out, My _ ”

“Yeah, and?”

“And you'll be fixing it”

“Aw, Hell!” she seemed surprised to think that she’d have to fix her own problem.

 

It didn't take long before My decided she didn't want to go to the effort of fixing it, and instead started to try bargaining 

“I'll give you any pretty stones i find”

“I'm not the groke.”

“I know that! I’ll find you a better place to get fish!”

“I know all of the places.”

“Ugh! We can go destroy the park-keeper’s station! There’s one you hadn’t found last time!”

That’s what caught the woman a look from snufkin, one eye peeking at her “ _ Go on _ ” he couldn't help the grin starting to stretch on his lips

“That caught your fuckin attention then.” She paused “last time we went to get the signs? I saw one of his ol’ stations while we were running from him.”

“Really? Hm. Fine, if you can lead to where, you won't have to fix it.”

 

Little My let past a heavy breath, and took off into a run towards the right, calling out for the two to follow after her.

“You’ll come, won't you?” Snufkin questioned moomin

“I might not.. _ destroy _ things, but why wouldn’t i come?”

 

And with that, snufkin took a grasp on moomin’s wrist, taking off like a bullet after My. If there was anything that could make him feel like an absolute child, It was  _ crime. _

Seeing the grin that snufkin had as he ran after his little sister, who was surprisingly fast for her size, brought a small smile to the troll’s face.

 

_ He decided if he  _ **_did_ ** _ join in, it would be to see that smile again. _


	2. An Act of Vandal

Moomin was still being pulled along with snufkin, chasing after My as she ran towards the park-keeper's post that wasn't already destroyed by the chaos that was snufkin and Little My ‘teaming up’

  


Once little my had stopped walking, it took a little bit of effort for snufkin to not trip over her, running a little fast before he skidded, letting go of moomin’s wrist as the troll steadied himself, staring at the cabin that was set up

  


“Can you keep watch?” Snufkin asked him, as My went jogging forwards for the door 

“Uh. Yeah, yeah, i will” Moomin nodded as snufkin gave him a thumbs up, following after little my. What the two of them had done was started prying at the locked door, pulling at opposite sides as the wood began to crack and split from the force, moomin watching quietly before he sat down, just admiring the work. 

After breaking down the door, snufkin was the first inside, taking things off of the walls. Pictures, doodles, kids drawings, things that seemed to be made for atmosphere, throwing in outside onto the grass. Little my on the other hand had made her way around breaking things apart with quiet cackles before she mused “there's also signs outside! Don't get why the guy likes his damn signs so much. Rules, rules” and with that ,she was outside, snufkin following after her just as fast.

  


Moomin had long since zoned out by this point, staring off into space as he thought. He stared off at the door that the two busted and broke as they rummaged around. He truly did admire snufkin, maybe for some things he really shouldn't have, in the first place. It was rather amusing, how snufkin could be just as chaotic as his older sister, if he wanted to. 

  


The troll just placed his paws on the sides of his face, dozing off farther into his thoughts, just trying to pass the time. He had wondered before why snufkin’s hair looked so soft, and how his friend would react to a question like that. He surely hadn’t asked before, there was never really time to ask weird questions like that.

  


He had also thought about not only asking, but he thought about running his paws through snufkin’s hair, wondering how his friend would react, if he’d find it weird at all or if he’d be fine with it. 

His thoughts continued to drift off, furthering to more nonsense, rather than just thinking about snufkin’s damn hair, which, he had to admit was one of the weirdest things that the troll had considered of his friend in a good while.

  


While Moomin was just off in his thoughts, barely keeping an eye out, Snufkin and Little My were busy kicking up papers, shoving items off of the desk within the room, knocking the table and chairs over, tearing items off of the wall and to the ground, just making as big of a mess as possible.

“We should set it off!” Little My suggested laughing. Snufkin shook his head though, pausing to look at her as he spoke “We’re criminals, not  _ Arsonists _ ” he exaggerated the word.

The ginger sighed, leaning backwards “you’re  _ boring _ ” 

“Did I say you weren't allowed to? I just said  _ I’m _ not going to”

  


My had grinned, before pausing, expression hardening

“Aren't you the one with all of the matches?”

“Yep.”

Little my frowned and mused “let me have one”

“Nope” Snufkin shrugged, pulling out a picture from the wall as he tossed it to the floor without a care in the world

  


“Snufkin, lemme have one”

“No, what if you bring the forest and all of moominValley into flames? I’m more likely to get blamed since i have the matches, you know”

That stunted the woman, who finally gave up, settling for tearing papers and wood, with a grumble of “fine.”

  


After My had given up, snufkin left the cabin for his sister to tear it to pieces, and he made his way around back, to the small lot of grass containing an all too familiar pack of signs, listed with rules among them. Signs about not running on the grass, not running, no pulling at the grass, no tearing the signs, no breaking the wood, and oh goodness, the length of signs that made no real sense annoyed snufkin as he pulled the signs out of the ground, tossing them to the side, after which he had attempted to snap one of the signs, to no real avail other than hurting his leg a bit. 

After the failed attempt, he had dropped the sign back on the ground, and left it be.

  


The bad thing about moomin being zoned out and just off in his own little world? He didn't see The Park Keeper coming back to the cabin right up until the footsteps were right next to him.

The door along with most of the outside to the cabin was awfully damaged, but it was enough that the park keeper looked down at moomin, expression slowly becoming a scowl, although the hemulen didn't question moomin, and just stomped towards the cabin.

  


It was only then that moomin came back to reality, just in time to watch the hemulen get close to the cabin door,and Little My poked her head out upon hearing footsteps, and she glanced up, staring at the park keeper. 

Since she didn't leave the door frame, just staring, snufkin came around the front, questioning “what could ever keep you so in place” and making some comment about how still she was, until seeing the park keeper as well, who, for lack of a better term, had smoke blowing out of his ears, a furious expression.

  


Behind him, moomin got to his feet, shocked that he hadn't noticed the park keeper walking towards the cabin.

  


For a few seconds, everyone was dead quiet, and the three trespassers appeared to be trying to test how still they could be until the hemulen wouldn't see them.

When there was a shout that he would arrest them for ruining his cabin and trespassing on private property, Little my flew off like a bullet, snufkin ducking under the park keeper as he tried to grab him.

A new thrilled expression was on the mumrik’s face as he laughed, running past the park keeper and grabbing moomin’s arm as he flew by, urging moomintroll to take off running just as fast, if not being dragged to be faster in the process.

  


There were echoes of laughter and moomin was rather shocked to see such a look of thrill and such loud laughter coming from someone like  _ snufkin _ . It truly amazed Moomin, it was actually pretty rare to see snufkin laughing that loud, but he supposed the thrill of the chase did that?

My was cackling as well, losing her mind as she dashed back in the direction of the house

  


It wasn't too long a run before the park keeper gave up, returning to his cabin, likely to go tidy up what the group had broken, and what was all scattered around the floor. 

After he was out of sight behind them, Snufkin slowed down, still laughing a little, and especially so when moomin couldn't slow down that quickly, tripped over his own feet as he tried to stop, skidding a little before crashing down, taking snufkin along for the ride as the two of them hit the floor.

  


After hitting the floor, snufkin was the first to sit up and let out a breath, before crashing right back into laughter as moomin sat up, rubbing his snout as snufkin exclaimed “my god! Did you see his face!?” in between breathless laughter. My had finally turned around to see her brother and friend (which was not a term the woman took very lightly) on the floor, covered in dirt now and just slowed, standing there with her hands on her hips before shouting “yeah, yeah, great face, whatever! I still wanted to burn the damned place” before heading back over.

  


“Ah, yes, but if snufkin let you, we would've been in a world of more trouble! What if the forest caught on fire?”

“Then thats park-keep’s thing to deal with”

“Well..Yeah, but-”

“But it would be his job to clean it up, if he wants his cabin to look  _ so _ professional and ruled” My mocked

  


Snufkin finally got to his feet after rolling his eyes, dusting himself and his clothes off as he got walking again “True, but I’m not going to be charged for your crimes. I’ve already been jailed before, remember? Not a pretty place.”

“They can take me then”

“Except for the fact he’d see you as a rebellious  _ toddler _ ” snufkin snickered

“Take that back! That’s not a joke! My size is not a damned joke!”

“Struck a nerve, have I?”

“Shut it!”

  


And right back to walking back to the moomin house. Moomintroll’s hope was very dearly that his mother nor father had even noticed the trio take off into the forest. Sure, sure, they had been out there before, but they’d be rather lucky if the park-keeper didn't try to talk to moominmamma about the vandalization. 

  


As Moominhouse came into view, My started complaining about hunger, to moomin’s annoyance. “Then you can go inside and devour the house.”

“What?”

“You eat more than  _ me _ , i don't even get how you do it”

My snorted, shaking her head “You need to be  _ educated _ ”

“I am very educated My!”

“Not if you don't know why i eat”

“I know why you eat! I dont get why  _ so _ much!!” 

  


Snufkin shushed them both and just sighed “Lord, you two will give me a damn headache”

“Well that's too bad”

“Just go inside and eat instead of complaining about it, My” snufkin stared at her, before she rolled her eyes dramatically, and ran off with a call of “whatever” following her.

  


“You should probably get back inside as well, it’s getting late, and it’s cold at night”

“Same to you! It’s cold at night, and you have no fur.”

“And how would you know that?”

“Because, your face, has no hair” moomin pointed at his face, as if he had made a great point

“Well, you haven't seen my body. I might have fur all over and you'd have no idea”

“Do I need to?”

“Need to see my body? No, no” snufkin shook his head as he headed towards his tent

“Snufkin, do you have fur?”

“No, i was just making a point is all”

“Oh.”

  


Snufkin had sat on the ground in the tent as moomin sat, to talk to him still

“Moomintroll, im serious, it’s cold, and you need to get inside.”

“Well i have another question”

“Ah, fine. Ask away, dear friend” snufkin laid back, kicking a leg over the other as he watched moomin

“Can I come with you this winter?”

  
  
  
“ **_no._ ** ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I do apologize for it taking a little while, but since it's summer (for me at least) i will try to be more avid with updates, but i guarantee nothing


	3. An Unfinished Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A much needed talk goes unfinished, leaving with a guilty conscious

“No?”

“No, moomin.”

“But why not?”

“Moomin..you know why not.” snufkin sighed  
Moomin stared back at his friend, a sadder look crossing his face, and snufkin glanced away, muttering “Stop giving me those eyes moomin, it isn't going to work and you know it” what a fib,it would've worked for sure if snufkin had stared at him anymore. Though, without looking at moomin, he scooted backwards a bit, and the troll sighed

“Okay, okay fine. But i think there should be one winter where i go with you.”

“And maybe there will be. But not this year moomintroll, i still need to have my breaks and you need your sleep”

“But i'm not tired”

“You will be”

Moomin sighed, before eventually giving up, scooting a bit into the tent as snufkin stared back at him, albeit a little confused  
“Moomin, you need to go inside”

“I'm not tired”

“I am, I’d rather like to sleep”

“Do you mind if i stay here then?”

Snufkin stunted, quieting for a few moments as he stared at moomin, then glancing towards the floor. “I..suppose not. But you’ll have to explain to moominmamma why you're in my tent in the morning” It was more of a bet, really.  
“Gladly”

Snufkin nodded a little, glancing around as he murmured “Uh..Wouldn’t you need a blanket, it does get rather cold..”  
With a nod, moomin got up and smiled “I’ll be right back” before taking off out of the tent and into the house without another word.

With the little bit of time to himself, snufkin had laid back, shaking his head and breathed out, taking in the much more quiet sounds of the outside. Sure, it was early in the night, and it was cold, but oh, the crickets were just lovely to listen to during the dusk.

He needed to sort out his thoughts for a few moments. No, he wasn't going to let moomin come with him, not at all. He wasn't going to put his trust that he had with the Moomin family on the line, because their son decided he wanted to go on an adventure (which frankly, snufkin's travels weren't such the adventure moomin believed it to be, snufkin truly found it as therapy more)

Sinking into the relief of the quiet, snufkin relaxed, closing his eyes, and just dozing off into his thoughts, and especially into the sounds of nature. It reminded him of why he loved nature oh so much. It was definitely peaceful during the night, especially. Everyone was asleep, not a single being in sight to bother him. Not that he considered talking bothersome, especially not with moomin, oh not at all, he just liked the quiet oh so much more.

As moomin returned, running back with a considerable amount of blankets and pillows, which frankly concerned snufkin on just how the hell the other was able to carry so much in his two paws, blocking his sight without tripping over something. At least it got to the point where snufkin begrudgingly got to his feet, jogging out to grab a couple blankets and a pillow or two from moomin, a small chuckle came from the mumrik.  
“Why so many?” he questions, as the two walked back to the tent

“They’re soft, aren't they?”  
“That's..not really an answer, moomintroll”  
“Yes it is. So many blankets, because they're very soft. It’s nice” well, it would’ve been nice if moomin didn't have his entire furry head covered with blankets, barely letting him see anything other than his own feet.

“Plus, you said that it’s very cold out tonight, worrywort”  
“I am not a worrywort”  
“Oh, so you didn't want me out here with you?”

There was no answer for that, and snufkin was admittedly glad moomin couldn't see his hard as a rock expression. He couldn't say yes, because it would hurt moomin, and that was the last thing he wanted! Though, he couldn't say no, because he didn't really like having someone in the tent with him. Not at night, at least.

“So you didn't” moomin sighs, before snufkin immediately shakes his head  
“No! No,no no no! That's not what that..that silence meant, not at all. I do want you out here, i just..didn't expect it tonight?”

Snufkin felt ridiculous. He didn't even sound sure of himself. Moomin took one of the blankets off of his head the best that he could, staring at snufkin for a few moments before he shrugged

“That’s fair, i guess. I sprung on you”  
And then the blankets were dropped onto the floor of the tent, and shoved in as snufkin helped put the pillows away as well.

Snufkin wasn’t all too sure if that was supposed to mean that moomin was upset with him, but he certainly hoped not. That wasn't ever his intention.  
“I’m sorry?”  
“Do you think I'm mad, snuf?” moomin then laughed, but stopped upon seeing the look of utter confusion on snufkin’s face, and moomin sighed “you do? Ah, jeez”

“Are you?”  
“No, I'm not.”  
“Why?” 

“Are you really asking me why im not mad?”  
“Yes, yes i am. Is that weird?”

“No, it really isn’t. I mean, I know very well you don’t really like being near people all day” moomin trails  
“But I like being around you. I just..didn't expect you to try staying in the tent tonight. It’s very cold out here”  
“You’ve already said that”  
“I know, but it is”

“That’s why i have so many cushiony blankets” and there was a nice smile back on moomin’s face, falling back onto the mountain of blankets to prove a point.

“Touche, but still, it'll get colder than youre ready for, moomie” snufkin chuckles, playing around just a bit.  
“Oh boo, i hibernate. Mamma said our ancestors slept outside. I’m built for the outdoors!” moomin protests

“Uh-huh? Is that why you scrap your knees nearly anytime we do anything together?”  
“That...means absolutely nothing about my skills” and at the word skills, snufkin erupts into a small bout of laughter 

“Ah,goodness. I may have to drag you along just to teach you some survival skills one of these years”  
“That's exactly what i'm saying, snufkin!”  
“I never said this year though” moomin then yawns, shaking his head a bit “yeah yeah, i heard you, i know”

“You're tired”  
“Course I am, it's late and im comfortable” moomin laughed  
Snufkin merely shrugged “then we should sleep. This is a talk we can have a different time, don't you think?”  
Moomin’s head was already practically shoved in a pillow, just barely nodding enough to take another laugh from the mumrik, who eventually laid down on his back, only taking one of the many pillows moomin brought

“How come you brought so many pillows,moomee?”  
“Thought we might..need ‘em” moomintroll mumbles, swiping at his eyes a bit  
“Guess it isn't a ‘sleepover’ without a ton of pillows then”  
“For the ones ive been to, yeah”  
“Dont think ive been to any before you”  
“Really?” moomin questions, propping up on one arm as he stared at snufkin, who immediately copies his pose to talk  
“Oh yes, the thought of sleeping next to a snoring people was so strange to me. With the thought of other people knowing I snore, oh, absolutely horrendous”  
“Well, it ended up well in the end right? I don't think you snore”

“You wouldn't know, moomee”  
“Oh? How do you figure?”  
“I make sure to fall asleep after you. So you wouldn't know. I don't quite want either of us to know”

Moomin breaths, dropping onto his back with a soft thud, staring at the top of the tent as snufkin breaks the mere moment of silence  
“We should sleep.”

Though, by the time he had gotten his sentence out,moomin was out like a light. And though he didn't really sleep, he laid there, with a guilty conscious as he kept an eye on moomin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! sorry it took so long, school started and i havent had much time to work on it;;


	4. Leaving so soon?

Moomin was startled awake, sitting upright in his bed.

  
  


In his _ …..bed? _ He surely remembered falling asleep in his friend’s tent! When was he moved to his bed? Surely there was no way snufkin could’ve done it, he was taller than moomin, sure, but he wasn't as strong as moomintroll truly was.

 

And that's what truly confused him! Mamma and Papa were definitely still asleep, he could hear them snoring from inside the room. And little my? Nowhere to be seen. As far in his room anyways. He never quite got why she likes spending time in his room, probably because she tried to steal it from under his nose before, like he just wouldn't notice the little redhead invading his privacy at all hours of the day!

 

After the heated thoughts in his own mind, moomin finally got out of his damn bed, staring around the room, looking for  _ anything _ that showed that snufkin had been in the room and he just couldn't tell.

 

And he stared.

  
  


And stared

  
  


_ And stared, feeling a small bit hopeless _ .

 

Right up until his eyes fell upon a letter, sloppily written, but very clearly snufkin’s handwriting (which wasn't the neatest, but he was obviously rushed this time around!)

All it read was a simple “ _ Apologies Moomee, but I have to go early. There’s much for me to do and see, I will be back in spring”  _ along with a somewhat jagged paw print that just looked like he smudged the ink while putting it down on moomin’s desk

 

“What are you looking at?” the door creaks open, with the familiar nasally voice coming straight by, along with little my’s footsteps

“A letter”

“By?” she egged on for answers

“By snufkin”

 

“For what though? I dont think ive ever seen him write letters”

“You wouldn't know”   
“What's it about” my questions on, and moomin shakes his head

 

“Private matters. Boys only”

“That is a lie and you know it.”

“Why do you want to know so badly anyways?”

“Because I could just definitely swipe it from your paws right now, but i dont think youd like that”

 

“You're just right, I would hate that”

“So what's it about”

 

Moomin groaned, going in circles with little by like this was truly an awful annoyance to bear!

“You know it's no use”

“And?”

“The letter. For the last time before I try and steal it, what's it  _ about _ ”

 

“Fine. snufkin left the valley early.”

“Is that what it says?”

“Basically”

My rolls her eyes “just means he left right here, early. Don’t mean he's gone yet. I've seen. Takes him awhile.”

 

She then paused, thinking before a big grin spread across her face “oh! You should follow him for sure!”

“Why, so you can have my  _ room?” _

“Partially, but you always complain when he leaves.” she shrugged “and talk my damn ear off about how much you want to go with him one of these years. And how-”

“ _ Okay! Okay! I get it! _ ” moomin groaned,holding his paws up to his ears as he shook his head a little bit “you don't have to go on anymore, my”

 

“You should go after him” she repeats

“Its early in the morning”

“Easier to find him then.”

“I want to eat first”

“Then you better learn to cook fast”

“Im going to wake up mamma”

“No”

“Why not?”

 

“Because! They'll stop you from going.”

“No they wont. Not if I just not tell them he left early”

“Yeah, but we should come up with more of a plan than that, moomintroll.” my complains, shrugging as she hopped up her way onto his bed

 

“Oh wow, i'm so surprised that you're already on my bed” the sarcasm practically dripped

“I don't like standing”

“Whatever.”

“I'm right though, we should come up with a plan”

 

Snufkin on the other hand, had a guilty mind. Especially about leaving early. But during the middle of the night, he didn't exactly feel right. Not nauseous or any of the sort, and certainly not homesick, as he did not technically have a home, other than his tent. But he didn't really consider that a home. But he had been staying up that night, just watching moomin. He had decided a few days before the little ‘sleepover’ that was was going to leave early. 

 

But now that he was on his way, he felt oh so guilty about it! Poor moomin was going to wake up any time now, read his letter and be left with a sad, sleepless slumber, all because of snufkin! Oh, what an idiot! He definitely could have afforded to stay a week or two more!

 

Leaving because of butterflies and a considerably worse feeling around moomin. Scratch that, it did make him feel nauseous to be around moomin too often. Like the other was infecting him with..something. He had absolutely  _ no _ idea what it was, but he had convinced himself it was surely some sort of poison. Or maybe he was homesick for his parents.

He hadn't seen them in a while anyways, his siblings too. Hadn't seen them in awhile.

 

But he didn't exactly want to go there, really. He just felt like staying in the valley, at least for awhile longer. 

 

What he hadn't realized though, was just how serious moomin was about wanting to come with him on his little adventures one of these years. And what he hadn't realized further was the fact that moomin was most definitely meaning  _ this _ year.

 

Moomin and My and plotted up a small plan, complete and all. Sure, it would worry his momma, but he was  _ sure _ there would be no issues! Besides, he had spent plenty of time at sniffs before, and figured they wouldn't care if he spent his ‘hibernation’ there.

 

“Momma?” the little troll questions, making his way into his parent’s room, where the two of them were still asleep, despite the lovely sun shining through the cracked open windows. When he didn't get an answer the first time, moomin questions on, repeating “momma?” until  _ watching _ his mother crack an eye open to look over at him

 

“Yes,moomin? What time is it?”

“Early morning. Momma, can i go stay at sniff’s this winter?”

“This full winter?”

“Yes momma.”

“How come?” Moominmama questioned, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed, shaking papa with one paw

 

“Snufkin dared me to” well, that was an awful lie for sure

“ _ Snufkin _ dared you to stay at sniff’s this winter?” momma questioned, her tone suspicious for sure! She was going to find out!

 

And then moomin wouldn't be able to go and would have to stay home, waiting at the window for his friend to come back for nearly 3 months! If he couldn't sleep he wouldn't be able to bear it at al!

“Yes, he did momma. He and Little My” well, time to shove the responsibility for the little lie onto My. she wanted him to leave so badly to catch snufkin anyways, and refused adamantly to tell him  _ why _ she wanted him gone.

 

It was silent for a little while, like moominmama was considering whether to let her son go to ‘sniff’ or not.

 

“Alright, but you must be back by springtime.” 

“I can do that” moomin had this grin on his face. Now he doubted that his mother knew, but it was more of a hope than any sort of confirmation that she was completely clueless about it. Besides! He had just  _ woken _ her up to tell her. He could only assume her mind was still all foggy of sleep and she wouldn't see through his dirty white lies.

 

And with that, he had left the house, with a small bag with blankets, some things he had swiped from the fridge and just simple things. Snufkin always said he travelled light, so moomin figured he could do that just as well.

 

What he hadn't expected though, was the extent of how hungry he could get almost immediately. Sure,little my had told him to bring snacks along and he  _ did _ , but had had already gone straight through them! Even after he had just said to himself that he wouldn't do that exact thing.

 

But it was too late now, and it didn't matter too much. He had to find snufkin anyways, and wanted to find him before it got late, or before he left the valley.

 

It was maybe a solid 30 minutes or so of walking, lost in his own thoughts and his worries that he might have missed snufkin, that he would have taken off before moomin could even get anywhere near the edge of the valley.

 

And in the midst of his thoughts, he ran into someone, and fell flat backwards on his ass with a call of ‘uff’ as he hit the floor, but the other person had stayed standing, eventually turning around stare at him

 

“Snufkin? Is that you snufkin?” Moomin questions, a small bit unsure

 

“who?”


	5. Mumrik Found

“What do you mean who?”

 

“Whos snufkin?”

 

“You aren't snufkin?”   
  


“No?” the obvious mumrik had shook his head a bit, tail lashing quite a bit behind him

 

“You look a lot like him”

 

“He's a mumrik?”

 

“Yeah” moomin nods a bit, quite confused now. Well, now he was understanding how this man could not possibly be snufkin. He was much taller than snufkin, had a different fur color, different colored hat.

And the eyes. The eyes should've been the obvious answer to this man not being snufkin.

 

“Mumriks look similar”

 

“All of them?”

 

“Sometimes, haven't met too many” the man shrugs, about to walk again before moomin just got to his feet and starts following

 

“Do you know who snufkin is?”

 

“Nope”

 

“Okay...have you seen any mumriks in a green hat?”

 

“Nope”

 

“Are you lying to me?”

  
  


“mmm. . maybe” the man chuckles

 

“Yes or no?”

 

“Why should i tell you?”

 

“Okay, what's your name?”

 

“Names don't matter for now”

  
  


“Can I call you red-hat then?”

 

“Sure, if that fancies you.” he shrugged, and went on with walking, the smaller moomintroll following right after him

 

“Are you going to just follow me everywhere now? Never knew I grew a second tail” the man just about grumbles his words. Moomin, unbeknownst to the supposed humor the man meant, moomin just stares around him and murmurs ‘but you..haven't?’

 

“Ah, doesn't matter.” he waves off, not general at all

 

“Can you help me find snufkin?”

 

“Probably not”

 

“How come?”

 

“Don't want to. Simple as that.”

 

“That sure is not fair. I'm asking you for help” moomin huffed, arms crossed as he followed right after.

“And i'm simply not accepting. No issue with that” the man grins, strolling along. He had noticeably slowed, shaking his head a little ibt as he continues on his way.

 

“Jeez. how did you manage to act worse than snufkin” moomin grumbles “secrets,secrets”

  
“Oh, did i make it seem like a secret that I don't particularly want to help you? My apologies” He laughs, frustrating moomin even more. At that rate, moomin just followed after the man, not bothering to speak anymore, nor give the man the pleasure of knowing he had upset the moomin.

 

“Well that's fine. You don't have to do a thing. But im going to follow you regardless” 

“Oh? And what will that accomplish?”

 

“Well, snufkin may be somewhere where you're going” moomin shrugs.

 

It took maybe another 30 minutes of following after the man for him to sigh “oh for lords sakes, why have you been following me? I thought you wanted to find your mumrik?”

“I do.”

 

“And…? Why aren't you looking for him?”

 

“You're mumrik. So I want you to make a ah- ``''a guess about where your buddy might have gone?” 

 

“Exactly! I feel like you'd know”

 

“And if I didn't, then you'd just be a frozen moomintroll out in the woods, far from home, during the winter. Not too sure if i should feel bad for you, or actually try to help” he stops, tapping a clawed finger to his chin, before shrugging “try east. Its where im heading after meeting an old friend”

 

“Which friend?”

 

“You don't need to know what im doing and who i am, you just need to find your mumrik buddy.”

“Okay..” Moomin trails off “so..why east?”

 

“Mumriks are more like migrating birds occasionally. We tend to go whichever direction is supposedly warmer than a current place. Usually, I'd be long gone by now, and so would your buddy, but youre on my tail every 5 seconds and I have things to do”

 

“Oh.. ``I'm sorry”

 

“Whatever, you should start off before you start to freeze. It isn't too bad yet, but once it starts getting through your fur, it is going to get  _ terrible _ for you” the man in the red hat smiles, and moomin honestly can't tell if he was trying to be malicious, or didn't see how weird that sounded.

 

Is that supposed to be some sort of threat?” Moomin asked, after another moment of silence, and then the man just pauses, scratched his neck, and shrugged “well, who knows. Mayyyybe, you'd have to guess. You're the one whos been following after me but hey, lets test my patience when ive got things to do, places to be, people to see, mm?”

“Sorry”

 

“Hm, you really should be on your way mighty soon, little moomintroll. I am not kidding, you should get out of here before nightfall comes. It'll surely snow over and you don't want to be caught in that sort of mess”

 

“Thank you for the advice but truly, I have no idea where I would be starting to go anyways”

 

“Then go home. You're Not meant to be out here anyways”   
  
“But i am”

 

“Regardless, you probably shouldn't be out here.”

 

“ _ But i am _ ”

 

The man just groans, shaking his head “jeez, you sure are a stubborn kid aren't you? You definitely remind me of someone I used to know”

 

“Who was he?”

 

“Doesn't matter”

 

“Are you going to say that everything I ask?”

 

And the man changes the subject, and started walking “anyways. East, when did your friend leave?”

 

“Last night”

 

“Then he shouldn't have gotten too far away. He definitely left early for a mumrik though.”

 

“Really?” moomin questions. Did he seriously run snufkin off? Oh  _ god _ , that was a very harrowing thought to delve into. But the man continues to talk before moomin can get too deep into thinking about it

 

“Technically. But i've done it too. We just leave early”

 

“All the time?”

 

“Oh, most mumriks leave during the middle of autumn.”

 

“Really? Why did he stay around then?”

 

“Are you close to him?” the man questions

 

“Well,  _ yes _ bu-”

 

“- then there you have it” he interrupts moomin, and he just huffed quietly, shaking his head while the man continued to keep walking 

 

“You're confusing!”

 

“Me? Confusing? ‘Course not. You're the confused one here.”

 

“Thats…...exactly what i'm saying? You're confusing me!”

 

“You were confused  _ long _ before you even bumped into me” he just  _ laughs, _ and moomin groans. This was tiring to just listen to the man in the red hat. At any rate, he was rather willing to take his chances with water rather than listen to this man jumble up his mind any longer!

 

“Oooh? You look man, thats fun” he snickered, looking behind him and eventually just walking backwards

“Of course I am, you keep confusing me”

 

“You've said that before”

 

“Still applies”

 

“Ah, I suppose it does.” he shrugs, turning back around while he walks

 

“You remind me of a story character” moomin scoffs

“Oh? How so?”

 

“One that confuses and twists your mind round and round”

 

“It's fun”

 

“It is Not”

 

“Hm” the man just doesnt respond that time, just more focused on staring around. By this point it definitely was the middle of the day, or else moomin would have truly felt tired. But the sky was piled up with clouds, just mountains of them, squeezed into one spot. Mainly over moominvalley and the surrounding area. Sure spots of the blue sky could still be seen, but all too small and all too far away.

 

“I have to leave”

 

“Im sorry, what?”

 

“Just keep heading that way and you should find your pal. Just don't count on it being easy, hah.”

 

“Wait,what, why do you have to leave?”

 

“Hm” the man shrugs “no offense, but i do think going off on my own way is more interesting than helping someone go find a mumrik”

 

“But you are a mumrik”

 

“That doest matter, I simply don't want to help anymore, its tiring” he shrugs. 

 

“O..kay. So i just follow the path”

 

“Yes, just follow the path. Goodbye, hope you find your pal” the man laughs, and in a practical flash, he went running in the other direction, all the fast for moomin to even think about following him.

 

Moomin just sighs, shaking his head before he started walking. That was incredibly rude. But it was likely true that the man had other things to do before night fell and it began to snow. Even looking at the sky, it seemed that it would snow in no time.

That wasn't a particularly nice thought, considering he was outside and would be outside for awhile.

 

He didn't really want to blame snufkin, but then again, the mumrik took off early after what moomin thought was a very happy evening. He still hasn't puzzled through why he considered it happy, but regardless, that was the thought in his mind. Snufkin left early, and moomin wasn't tired and had absolutely nothing better to do. He wasn't ready to hibernate, and he just...really wanted to know what snufkin did when he left for winter.

Nothing was wrong with trying to figure that one out. At least he didn't think so. 

 

Moomin was fully aware hed get one hell of a talking to for skipping his ‘needed’ hibernation to go find snufkin. But friends are friends, and moomin was quite offended that snufkin left early!

 

He hadn't even really noticed that he started jogging down the path, trying to just get there faster. And he was so unfocused and in his own jumbled up thoughts, he hadn't really noticed just how many rocks were in the path.

 

He tripped over one of the rather large rocks, fell and tumbled forwards a few feet with a groan once he actually landed. No bruises?

 

No bruises at all. He hoped anyways. But! Moomin had no time to wonder whether or not he had a bruise on his leg, that was much less important than finding his friend.

 

Once on his feet, moomin gone jogging once again, looking around for absolutely anything that even looked a little bit like snufkin’s tent.

 

And his prayers were answered about an hour later of just boring walking and staring around, not to mention getting caught up in his own head over and over again

 

Near a small flower patch, was the rather small tent. Snufkin wasn't too big anyways, but he and moomin always fit in the tent regardless. 

Moomin a little bit of time, waiting and watching before he thought about going towards the tent, wanting to prove that it was snufkin

 

Sure enough, he was caught out by his friend, coming out of the tet, craning his head and staring dead at moomin

 

“Moomintroll? Why are you here?”

 

“ah...I can explain?”

  
“ _ You better” _

**Author's Note:**

> My hopes are to update this every week to every other week  
> maybe it wasnt the smartest to start a fanfic during finals week??? Who knows lmao, im just having fun
> 
> Also, they may be a little out of character? I dont quite know. If anything it's more my play on their mannerisms lmao
> 
> thanks for readin yall


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